User:Antokar/Tracy Ducar

Tracy Noonan (formerly Ducar)
Tracy Noonan (Ducar) is known as the U.S. National Team back-up goal keeper during the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Tracy Jean Noonan was born on June 18th, 1973 in North Andover, Massachusetts.4 Noonan began her athletic career at the age of six playing in the North Andover Soccer Association. She progressed up to play for the Greater Boston Bolts youth soccer club (State Champions in 1990 & 1991) and was also a four year starter at North Andover High School. In addition to soccer she also played basketball for her high school, however, her sophomore year she injured her back and needed surgery for two vertebrae to be fused together. Noonan was not able to play her junior year of soccer, and Kevin McCarthy, her soccer coach, thought she was never going to be able to play again. However, Noonan proved her coach wrong, and led North Andover’s women’s soccer team to a Cape Ann League Title. After finishing her soccer career at North Andover, Noonan was off to college.4

The determination that inspired Noonan since high school influenced her decision to attempt to walk on the University of North Carolina. Friends, teachers, and even counselors that knew Tracy from North Andover were shocked with her decision to attend the University of North Carolina over Harvard and Dartmouth, however, Noonan wanted a challenge and that is exactly what she got. Noonan played at the University of North Carolina all four years.2 She graduated in 1995 with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. She was also part of the Phi Beta Kappa. Noonan was U.N.C.’s goal keeper. In the 1994 NCAA Tournament, Noonan played every minute in every game, and U.N.C. won the National Championship. Noonan had complete shutouts both in the semifinal and final games. Noonan was named candidate for the 1995 Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year. Named All-American, captain, Most Valuable Player, (M.V.P.), and led U.N.C. with a record of 23-0-0 in 1995.4

Noonan's first appearance on the U.S. National Team was on January 16th, 1996 vs. Brazil in Campihas, Brazil. Noonan picked up two more caps, (games played against international competition), in Melbourne on February 28th, 1996 and in Bathurst on March 3rd, 1996. Noonan managed her first shutout on January 28th, 1996 vs. the Ukraine.3 Then in 1997 under her married name of Ducar, (married in April 1997), during the Nike Victory Tournament, she split time in every game with Brianna Scurry, (the starting goal keeper for the U.S. National Team), and also in the Women’s World Cup in 1997. One of her most shining moments was during the U.S. vs. Germany (in Salzgitter, Germany). A substitution was made by the U.S., replacing Scurry with Ducar. Tracy made four big saves to keep the shut out. In 1997, Tracy made twelve overall appearances for the national team, while starting in three of them. In 1998, Tracy played in six matches for the U.S., while starting in each one, had four shutouts, and allowed only two goals. That same year, the U.S. won the Goodwill Games. In 1999 Tracy was a reserve goalkeeper on the U.S. Women's National Team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup.4

From 1999-2000, Tracy was goalkeeper coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of North Carolina of Greensboro.5 In 2000, Tracy was not invited back to the US Women's National Team Training Camp for the Olympics and the World Cup.6  The reason was unknown of why she was not invited back. Tracy knew her training habits were good, and she could compete with the other keepers in the camp. The most frustrating part that Tracy found difficult to accept was she was never given the chance to compete to earn her spot. This was an odd situation given her previous experience as being an already established World Cup player.4

During her National team career Tracy also played in the semi professional and professional women soccer league (W-League). During the summer of 1998, Tracy played for the Raleigh Wings, (a semi-professional women’s soccer team in Raleigh, NC). In 1999, Tracy played again for the Wings and led the team a W-League Championship.1

In 2001, Tracy became one of the twenty founding players of the Women’s United Soccer Association, (WUSA), the first official professional women’s soccer league. From 2001-2003, Tracy played for the Boston Breakers, (part of the WUSA League). In 2001, Ducar was awarded the Boston Breaker’s Shield Award and was inducted into the New England Women's Sports Hall of Fame as well as the North Andover High School Hall of Fame.

In 2005, Tracy was named the women’s head soccer coach at Greensboro College by Pride Athletics’ Director, Kim Strable. She spent 2 years as their head coach before moving on to start her own soccer camp business.

In 2006, Tracy founded Dynasty Goalkeepinga premier goalkeeper camp designed to train elite female goalkeepers. It is an innovative goalkeeper camp experience and the ultimate experience for top female goalkeepers. Dynasty attracts the country's top youth, club, collegiate, and youth National Team goalkeepers. Tracy Noonan (divorced in April 2008) has created a unique Academy that provides elite keepers with the necessary tools and training to take their play to the next level. Tracy’s expertise from her years as a top-level collegiate, national team, and professional player allow her to share crucial insights into all aspects of goalkeeping; from the proper nutritional outlook, to on-the-field technical training, mental skills development, to a weight training program that will maximize a goalkeeper’s performance.

Dynasty Goalkeeping is hosted at Saint Mary's Schoolin Raleigh, NC and is a 5 day residential program designed for the college bound, elite female goalkeeper age 14 or older. Each of the seven sessions of camp are limited to 12 students to maximize results and to create a personalized experience for each individual.

Noonan continues to reach even further beyond what she had accomplished on the soccer field, by teaching, influencing, and inspiring young women at the collegiate level as well as youth players all across the United States.

References:

1. Breshahan, Tim. 2001. Conquering Hero Ducar Returns Home. The Eagle Tribune, April 22, section D.

2. Breshahan, Tim. 2000. Ducar Is Looking For Her Chance. The Eagle Tribune, February 16, section D.

3. Gola, Mar. 2003. Fair Game. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.

4. Longman, Jere. 2000. Girls of Summer. New York, New York: Harpercollins Co.

5. Lowe, Bob. 2004. Tracy Ducar Named Head Women's Soccer Coach at Greensboro College. Greensboro College Times, February 24, section C.

6. Lush, Karyn. 2001. Ducar's Painful Day. The Chapel Hills News, August 7, section C.

--Antokar 04:08, 6 December 2006 (UTC)